From the Summer Place Theatre Archives ...

Bleacher Bums

A Nine-Inning Comedy

It's root, root, root for the home team, and die-hard Chicago Cubs fans are making wagers. Unfortunately, baseball is about all they have in common. Things may get hilarious.

Bleacher Bums is a comedy conceived by Chicagoan and TV star Joe Mantegna and developed by members of the Organic Theatre Company in the late 1970s. The story follows several regular Cubs fans who know each other from countless other games in the past. As the beer starts to flow and the summer heat takes its toll, the fans begin to grumble, argue, and make bets on the "lovable losers" out on the field.

If emotions run high, don't worry: we'll take a break by singing along with a local celebrity during the seventh inning stretch!

Performed in the Naperville Central High School Auditorium. When the kids move out, we move in!

The Team of Bleacher Bums

Elizabeth Thompson

Melody, the attractive, serious bleacher sun-bather, will be played by Elizabeth Thompson from Elmhurst. Trained in theatre from Elmhurst College, she's been seen in many plays around the area, Wheaton, Riverfront, and Greenman among them.

Dan Byrne-Szafoni

Greg, a savvy, funny, gentle man in his 20's, blind from birth, will be played by Dan Byrne-Szafoni, a savvy, funny actor from Oak Lawn who's last been seen in Morraine Valley Community College's Hand to God and is a member of the Sweater Friendz Improv Group.

Gary Tuber

Zig, the cigar-chewing loveable loudmouth will be played by Gary Tuber of Hoffman Estates. Not new to the stage, Gary's presented for years in the sales world, and now putting that talent toward theatre, just killing it at the audition!

Tom Ochocinski

Decker, the successful everyman, originally played by the play's author Joe Montegna, will be played by Tom Ochocinski of Plainfield, a longtime community theatre performer. He most recently was in Monstrous Regiment, just completing its run.

Ben Slabik II

Richie, the ever trying to fit in nerd, is played by Ben Slabik. You may have seen him recently in The Miss Firecracker Contest at the Village Theatre Guild, and you may have seen him as Leo Bloom of The Producers at Wheaton Drama. We look forward to his Summer Place debut.

Mike Duffy

Marvin, the gambler, will be played by Mike Duffy of Westmont. A Penny Dreadful Player while at U of I, he's lately been coaching high schoolers in speech and acting, but happy to get back on stage.

Rick March

The 20-something cheerleader role is being re-envisioned as a seasoned Cubs Superfan! And it's being played by Highland Park's Rick March, a big Cubs fan appearing in many local film and theatre roles as well as stand-up comedy throughout Chicagoland.

Kelli Montgomery

Rose, Zig's wife and closet Cub fan, is played by Kelli Montgomery of Ottawa, reprising the role she played last year in Pontiac, Illinois. Kelli is an extra on the Chicago Fire and PD television shows, and soon you'll see her on our stage.

Grace Assicurato

Kid One, the street-smart, fun loving, little kid, will be played by Grace Assicurato from Clarendon Hills. This 11 year old was last seen in the Music Makers of Western Springs production of Singin' in the Rain. She is excited to be a part of Summer Place Theatre.

Grant Kates

Kid Two, the little pal, will be played by Grant Kates of Naperville. This is his first show, and he's very excited, along with parents Rachelle and Zack, Summer Place alumni themselves. He's adding acting to his favorite pastimes of golf, baseball, Pokemon Go, Nintendo Switch and scouting.

Don Gingold

You won't see him, but Summer Place President Don Gingold will be moving the game along as the announcer. Don's been in many SPT productions in recent years and is a voice actor which makes the role right up his alley. He's also producing the show.

Director Craig Fisher

Directing Bleacher Bums is Craig Fisher, a Cubs fan (just look at the tattoo!), new to Summer Place but not to performing and performance organizations. Craig has a long history with Theatre of the Highlands in LaGrange and North Riverside Players, and has directed big productions like Wizard of Oz and Bye Bye Birdie. He also understands theatre organizations as well, as Chairman of the Board of the Tower Chorale, a 90-voice choir in Western Springs.

Stage Manager Grace Chariya

Keeping us all together is Grace Chariya, who lives in Urbana, Illinois, and we're very fortunate to have her spending her summer in Naperville. She is a junior in the BFA Stage Management program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she has had the privilege to work in opera, theatre, dance, and events stage management.

Set Designer Sabrina Zeidler

The friendly confines come alive in NCHS Auditorium thanks to designer Sabrina Zeidler. When not building awesome sets for College of DuPage, she's Secretary and Board Member of the Summer Place. She hails from Elmhurst.

Sound Designer Jeff Sand

The orchestration of sounds like the cracking of the bat, the roar of the crowds and the mighty Lowrey organ are all the magic of Jeff Sand. From Wheaton, Jeff is the Summer Place Treasurer, and when he's not doing a hundred things for our theatre, he manages to work for the Villa Park library.

“Bleacher Bums” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

About The Summer Place

The Summer Place, Inc. is a 501-C3 not-for-profit organization and receives our funding through sales of affordably priced tickets, program ads, concessions, from a small number of grants and from the kind donations of our patrons.

We are Naperville's Community TheatreSM. Our all volunteer board, crew and cast work hard together to produce entertaining plays and musicals for the Naperville area. We invite you to get involved!